WEB DESK
Several places in the Coastal districts of Bangladesh are reporting rain and strong wind as the super cyclone Amphan nears the Bangladesh coast. Rain is lashing Char areas in the Bhola district and Kalapara and Galachipa upazila under Patuakhali district of Bangladesh. In Dhaka also the weather is cloudy and slight drizzle continued since late night on Tuesday.
According to the latest special weather bulletin released by the Met Department of Bangladesh at 12 noon, Amphan cyclone may cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast near Sundarbans during afternoon or evening on Wednesday. The Met department of Bangladesh has asked Mongla and Payara ports to hoist the highest level of danger signal 10 which signifies ‘Great Danger’.
The Chattogram and Cox’s bazar ports have been asked to hoist great danger signal number 9. Accordingly, the third warning flag under Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) has been raised at Rohingya Camps of Cox’s Bazar. People have been asked to stay indoors till the cyclone is over. Shelters are being strengthened to ensure people’s safety.
The special weather bulletin of Met Department says that the cyclone Amphan is now centred about 480 kilometre Southwest of Chattogram port, 470 kilometre Southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 290 kilometre Southwest of Mongla port and 320 kilometre Southwest of Payra port. Maximum sustained speed within 85 kilometres of the Cyclone centre is about 200 kmph rising to 220 kmph in gusts/ squalls. Sea will remain very high near the cyclone centre, says the weather report.
The Met department warned that low lying areas of coastal districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagherhat, Bhola, Barisal, Noakhali, Chattogram among others and their off shore islands are likely to be inundated by storm surge of 10-15 feet height above normal astronomical tide. These areas are also likely to experience wind speed upto 140-160 kilometres per hour with heavy to very heavy rainfall during the passage of the storm.
The Met department has instructed all the boats and trawlers over the North bay and deep sea to take shelter immediately and not venture into the sea till further notice. Meanwhile, government has undertaken evacuation of people from the Coastal districts like Khulna, Feni, Noakhali, Bhola,Satkhira, Bagerhat Patuakhali, Laxmipur and Barguna among others.
Massive preparation has been done in coastal districts of Bangladesh to evacuate people to cyclone shelters. More than 12,000 cyclone shelters are kept ready by the government where 14 lakh people have moved from Coastal areas by morning on Wednesday. A total of 20-22 lakh people are likely to be affected directly by the Cyclone Amphan.
